


yellow carnations.

by romanoffrights



Series: marvel bingo 2019 [3]
Category: Marvel, Marvel Cinematic Universe, The Avengers (Marvel Movies)
Genre: Alternate Universe - Flower Shop, Alternate Universe - Flower Shop & Tattoo Parlor, Alternate Universe - No Powers, Bad Flirting, Based on a Tumblr Post, Boys In Love, Except they're not good at it, Flirting, Flowers, Fluff, Language of Flowers, M/M, Matchmaker Natasha Romanov, Matchmaker Peter Parker, Minor Sharon Carter/Natasha Romanov, Natasha Romanov & Sam Wilson Friendship, Not Beta Read, POV Sam Wilson, Sam Wilson is a Gift, The Author Regrets Everything
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2019-06-28
Updated: 2019-06-28
Packaged: 2020-05-28 08:01:33
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 1
Words: 3,735
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/19389901
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/romanoffrights/pseuds/romanoffrights
Summary: "cute." sam says, biting back a small smile as he takes the flower hot guy was holding out."i try." hot guy replies, a smirk on his lips and whatever nervous exterior from before was gone."mmm. but you got no clue what the meaning behind this-" sam holds up the carnation, "-is, do you?"hot guy's face falls and he groans, "don't tell me.""means rejection and disdain." sam says, unable to hold back his grin, "but nice try."orsam owns a flower shop, and bucky keeps coming in to flirt with him. badly.





	yellow carnations.

Mondays are never busy. 

Mondays, everyone is working, no one needs flowers. Mondays, Sam sits at the front and'll chat with Natasha or Parker until someone comes in. Mondays, Natasha and Parker will leave early at Sam's insistence, even if Nat eyes him on her way out and Parker promises to work extra hours another time.

This was one of those times.

Natasha and Parker just left, and Sam is mindlessly potting flowers at the front, because there's not much else to do.

Sam should've probably taken up Nat's offer. She'd told him he could leave early, she'd close up shop, but Sam had refused, said he was fine and that it was his shop. Nat had scoffed and pointedly said that he was obviously too tired for that. Of course, she was right, because she always is. Sam is currently running on three cups of coffee and four hours of sleep, but Natasha didn't need to know that. Sam had ended up literally shoving her out the door.

It's 8:12, 18 minutes until closing, when the bell above the door rings. Sam looks up from what he was doing, blinking slowly.

An unfairly attractive guy had just walked in, and is now wandering around the dimly lit shop. Sam examines him for a moment that was probably too long. This guy is tall (had to be at least 6'0), and his hair is dark, reached to his shoulders and looks soft. Sam wonders, for a moment, how it felt, before shaking the thought from his head. Sam's eyes roams this guy's body- he's wearing lots of black, has a stubble going on. His hands are covered by gloves- and he has a neck tattoo, holy shit. Sam blinks slowly, processing this.

"Welcome to Bloomerangs." Sam greets with practiced fake cheer, but this guy doesn't look up.

Sam looks away after a while, returns to potting flowers because there still isn't much else to do while he waits for this guy to hurry up so he can, hopefully, close shop.

Another four minutes pass and unfairly attractive guy is standing in front of Sam, who sits his third pot so far down.

"Hello! Can I help you?" Sam sags, a fake smile on his lips. Hot guy hums in return.

"Yeah, um," Hot guy gesturs vaguely towards a display of carnations, "Can I take a yellow one?"

Sam drops the cheery act and raises an eyebrow, "Just one? Do you want a bouquet?"

Hot Guy waves the idea off with a shake of his head, "Nah. Just one."

"Alright." Sam says, knowing full well he probably sounds suspicious. That's because he is. Who just buys a singular flower? And a yellow carnation, of all flowers?

Sam doesn't spend too long thinking about it, because he's way too tired for that, and two minutes later he's handing Hot Guy his single flower.

"That'll be 1.99." Sam says dryly. Hot Guy hand Sam a ten dollar bill onto the counter and Sam is just starting to fish out his change, but Hot Guy interrupts him.

"Just- just keep it." Hot Guy says with a vague wave of his hand. "And here's this as well."

Sam looks up from the cash register and makes direct eye contact with Hot Guy and- oh.

"Cute." Sam says, biting back a small smile as he takes the flower Hot Guy was holding out.

"I try." Hot Guy replies, a smirk on his lips and whatever nervous exterior from before was gone.

"Mmm. But you got no clue what the meaning behind this-" Sam holds up the carnation, "-is, do you?"

Hot Guy's face falls and he groans, "Don't tell me."

"Means rejection and disdain." Sam says, unable to hold back his grin, "But nice try."

Hot Guy shakes his head, but there was a smile nonetheless. "I'll make it up to you, uh..." He promised, "Sam."

"What-" Sam starts, before remembering his name tag, "Oh, yeah."

"Sam." Hot Guy repeats with a smile, "I'm Bucky. And, like I said, I'll make it up to you. Tomorrow."

Sam raises an eyebrow, but Bucky just smiles in a cheeky manner, turns on his heels, and leaves.

· · ─────── ·𖥸· ─────── · ·

Tomorrow comes. Tuesdays weren't as boring as Mondays, but it's 5:30 pm, and people are getting off work. Sam is currently fixing a few displays while Parker stands at the front counter, loudly chattering away with a customer (who looks a bit uncomfortable, if Sam's being honest).

Natasha is talking more quietly with a separate customer, showing them a few bouquets- something about a forgotten anniversary, Sam isn't paying much attention, he rarely does.

The bell above the door rings, and a "Welcome to Bloomerangs!" comes from Parker.

Sam doesn't look up or pay much attention to whoever had walked in, just to his displays.

He can distantly hear Parker speaking to a customer, and Natasha wishing the one she was helping good luck.

Then someone is tapping on Sam's shoulder, and Sam damn near drops the vase he is holding.

Sam turns around, holding the vase tightly to avoid almost dropping it again.

"What the fuck." Sam near deadpans, before-, "Oh, it's you, yellow carnation guy."

Bucky smiles, ear to ear, and his eyes crinkle in a way that Sam should not find cute.

"That's me. Told you I'd make it up to you, didn't I?" Bucky asks rhetorically.

"You did." Sam replies, "Whaddaya got?" 

Bucky holds out a single sunflower, and Sam snorts. He takes it, a smile tugging at the corners of his mouth.

"You think you're smooth, huh?" Sam questions, twirling the sunflower in his hands.

"For the most part." Bucky replies with ease.

"Longevity, adoration, and loyalty." Sam says, his tone teasing and his smile bright.

"I know." Bucky replies, before pausing, "I looked it up." He adds after a moment.

Sam laughs, genuinely. 

"Alright, Smoothtalker." Sam says, "You're cute and all, but I can't say you've won me over. Any more tricks up your sleeve?"

Bucky grins, "Not at the moment. I'll be back, though."

"That a threat?" Sam says, snickering.

"It's a promise." Bucky shoots right back, before turning on his heels and leaving with a wave towards Sam.

Once Bucky is gone, Natasha's immediately on Sam's ass.

"So." Nat says as Sam begins walking to where he needs to put the vase in his hands.

"No, Natasha." Sam says, unimpressed.

"James, huh? He's cute." Natasha continues despite Sam's words.

"His name is Bucky." 

"That's his nickname. His real name is James." Natasha says matter of factly. 

"How do you even know him?" Sam asks. He stops walking, turning to face Natasha with an unimpressed raised eyebrow.

Natasha slides up her jacket sleeve to show off her black widow tattoo proudly, "He did this. He owns a tattoo parlor a few shops down." Natasha explains, "But stop changing the topic."

"It's just, like, a friendly flirting thing, Nat." Sam says, beginning to walk again.

Natasha snorts against her own will, kisses her friends cheek and says; "Sure, Sam. Whatever you say." 

"Get back to work or I'll fire you."

"You wouldn't dream of it, Boss."

· · ─────── ·𖥸· ─────── · ·

Parker will be the death of Sam.

It's Wednesday, 7:13 pm, and Natasha had called in sick, so it's just the two of them.

Sam is in the backroom when Parker comes rushing back there.

"Sam, Sam, your boy-" Parker starts to babble, and Sam just raises an eyebrow.

"What?"

"Um, uh, Bucket? Barney? I think that's what Nat said." Parker explains, and Sam sighs loudly.

"Bucky."

"Yeah, him!" Parker says, lighting up, "Yeah, he's here, you should go. To the register."

Just on time, the bell at the register rings to get someone's attention. Sam groans.

"I hate you." Sam says as he walks out of the back room and towards the register.

"You'll thank me later!" Parker calls after him. Sam gives the little shit the bird.

Sam walks over to the register, "What can I help you with?"

"Aren't we friends, Sam? Do you gotta use the whole business talk on me?" Bucky says with a fake pout.

"Alright. What the fuck do you want?" Sam deadpans in return.

Bucky laughs, and Sam would never say it out loud, but the sound made him feel- something. Warm.

"Better." Bucky grins, "You guys got any Forget-Me-Nots?"

"Yep." Sam says, popping the 'P', "Do you want a bouquet?" 

"Nah, just one." Bucky replies with a grin, a twinkle in his eyes.

Sam rolls his eyes, but wanders off. Five minutes later, Sam's handing Bucky the flower and Bucky is sliding Sam a ten.

"Keep the change. And this, of course." 

Sam takes the flower with ease and a playful smile, "Forget-Me-Nots. Very romantic." He says, "Don't see how I could forget the guy who keeps coming into my shop to badly flirt with me."

"What, would you prefer cheesy pickup lines over flowers?" Bucky retorts.

"Hit me. What's your best line?" Sam asks, voice a teasing tone. Bucky raises an eyebrow. "What? You don't have any?" 

"Are you a magician?" Bucky asks, fluttering his eyelashes, "Because whenever I look at you, everyone else disappears."

"No one's even here right now." Sam says in return.

"That's not the point." Bucky says with a vague wave of his hand. Sam gives a laugh, setting the flower in hand down.

"Mm. Anymore on you?" Sam asks.

"None that I can think of on spit." Bucky replies just as someone walks through the door, "How about I come back and try again tomorrow?"

"It's a date." Sam says with a hum, glancing over at the woman who'd walked in, before looking back at Bucky.

"I'll see you then." Bucky smiles, and then he turns and left. Sam watches as he does so, a sigh falling from Sam's lips.

He is so fucked.

· · ─────── ·𖥸· ─────── · ·

Thursday's always seem the busiest. Sam's never sure why. A lot of customers talk about having dates on Friday, so he supposed that's it.

Whatever. Point is, Thursdays are always busy. Natasha is at the register and Parker is putting together a few bouquets. Sam is helping out a customer and trying to fix a display at the same time. 

The bell above the door rings again, but Sam ignores it. Someone else can help them.

"These are good for first dates." Sam explains to the customer, holding up a bouquet of red chrysanthemums, "Pink tulips are good, they mean caring and attachment. Or you could just go with roses, that's a safe choice." Sam shrugs a bit, setting the bouquet down.

"Uh, yeah, I think I'll just go with a bouquet of..."

Whatever the customer says next, Sam didn't catch, because he caught sight of a certain someone. 

Sam blinks slowly when Bucky smirks at him, and then he looks back at the customer.

"Right. Just go tell Natasha at the register, she'll get someone working on it." Sam says. The customer looks confused for a moment, but wandered off.

Sam pretends like he hadn't noticed Bucky for a moment, but it wasn't very long because Bucky's at his side in a matter of seconds.

"Busy, huh?" Bucky comments, to which Sam snorts.

"Obviously." Sam says with a shake of his head, "Thursdays always are."

"I see that." Bucky replies, "Okay, I have a new pickup line today."

"Really?" Sam says with a raised eyebrow, "Hit me. Make it fast, too." He said, peering over at a customer who'd just walked in.

"Okay." Bucky clears his throat, and holds out a lavender rose, "If a flower grew everytime I thought of you, I'd have a whole field."

Sam laughs, and Bucky smiles at that. Sam takes the rose carefully, a wide smile on his lips.

"You're gonna go with flower related lines, huh?" Sam asks, "That your plan?"

"Did it work?" Bucky asks.

"Mm. Can't say." Sam replies. "Enchantment and love at first sight. Very romantic, Bucky."

"That's me." Bucky says. all too proudly, and Sam shouldn't find it cute the way Bucky visibly brightens, but...

"Anything else? I have a shop to tend to." Sam says, twirling the rose.

"Aw, come on, 'love at first sight' doesn't get you?" Bucky says, and Sam laughs.

"I don't know, comes off a bit strong if you ask me. Try again tomorrow." Sam turns to go back to work, and Sam would be lying if he said he couldn't feel Bucky's smile.

Another few hours later, Sam is closing shop with Natasha and Parker.

"So. How're things going with you know who?" Natasha says, flipping the 'come on in!' sign to 'closed'.

"He's really trying." Sam replies as he collects a few wilting flowers, "You want these, Peter? Your aunt likes daffodils?"

"Yeah!" Parker brightens, "Can I put together a bouquet? Is that okay?" Parker asks, taking the handful of flowers from Sam.

Sam makes a 'go ahead' gesture with his hand, and Natasha goes back to talking.

"I think you're playing hard to get, Sammy." Natasha says, bending over to pick up petals that'd fallen earlier that day.

"Hard to get? Really?" Sam shoots back.

"Nat's right." Parker says from where he's sitting, not looking up at the pair 

"See?" Natasha says as she stands up, "I'm always right."

"Peter, shush, you have no say in this." Sam huffs. Parker smiles sheepishly and shrugs.

"Gotta go, May'll kill me if I'm late for dinner." Parker says, standing up and holding his bouquet.

"Bye, Kid. Get home safe." Sam says, waving at Parker as he opens the front door.

"Tell May I said hi." Natasha says with a smirk that can only mean no good.

"Will do. Oh, and Sam? I may or may not have told Bucky your favorite flowers are peonies. Byeee." 

The door closes and Sam scoffs.

"He's gonna kill me one day."

"You love him."

· · ─────── ·𖥸· ─────── · ·

On Friday, everything is normal. Not as busy, but not too empty.

There are a few customers every hour and it's quiet. It's currently pouring rain outside, though, so Sam can't see why anyone would want to carry home a bouquet of flowers in this weather. But he tries not to judge.

Anyways, currently, Sam is at the register and Natasha is leaning on the window, talking about a date she had last night with a girl named Sharon Carter, who Nat knows because Steve Rogers knows her. Parker is in the backroom, doing God knows what.

"She's really pretty, y'know, Sam? Like, she was really pretty. And she had a nice laugh."

"Is she why you stole a bouquet of flowers last night?" Sam asks with a raised eyebrow.

"I have no clue what you're talking about." Natasha says, shoving her hands into her jacket pockets, "Anyways. Here comes your boy right now." She gestures vaguely outside the window, where Bucky was walking towards the door, holding an umbrella over himself.

"He's not-" Sam starts, but then the bell over the door rings, and Natasha pushes herself off the window, winks at Sam, and walks towards the orchid display, pretending to examine them innocently.

Sam glances up at Bucky as he walks to the register. 

"Welcome to Bloomerangs. Whaddaya want?"

"You know, I kinda wanna know the meaning behind the name of this place." Bucky replies easily, "Bloomerangs. Kinda cheesy, hmm?"

"Hell if I know. My ma owned this before me." Sam scoffs, shaking his head.

"Huh." Bucky blinks, "Alright, Doll. You guys got any peonies?"

Sam ignores the nickname and nods, "Just one?"

"Just one."

Five minutes later, Sam is holding the peony in his hand and Bucky is smirking in an all too familiar way.

"Okay, I've got another line, I think you'll like this one better." Bucky says as Sam puts away the ten Bucky had gave him.

"Do you? Okay, what is it?" Sam asks, tilting his head to the side.

"If you were a flower, I'd pick you." Bucky says as he holds out the peony.

"That's just cheesy." Sam says with a laugh as he takes the flower, "Not as cheesy as this though. Compassion, romance, and prosperity."

Bucky shrugs. "Your little twink employee told me they were your favorites."

Sam can hear Nat's snicker, but he chooses to ignore it.

"And you listened to him?" Sam says teasingly, raising a playful eyebrow.

"What, did he lie?" Bucky asks, voice going mockingly serious and deep, "I'll have to have a talk with him if he did."

Sam laughs, loudly. "You're cute." Sam comments.

"So you've said." Bucky says, voice back to normal.

"Have I? Maybe I can tell you again." Sam hums, "Tomorrow, that is."

"You're a lot of work, you know, Sam? I'm running out of tens here." Bucky complains playfully, and Sam can't help but smile.

"Despite that, you keep coming back." Sam comments. Bucky doesn't say anything, just smiles and turns to leave.

Once he's gone, Natasha is speaking again, "He's right. You're a lot of work. Just go on a date, I know you like him."

"Hmm. So what were you saying about Sharon?"

· · ─────── ·𖥸· ─────── · ·

Saturdays are a bit busy as well. Despite this, Parker doesn't work on Saturdays and Natasha gets off an hour early. But Sam never minds, he can handle the shop on his own.

But currently, the rush has died down. It's nearing 7, meaning Nat's soon to check out.

Natasha is working register while Sam puts together a bouquet for a customer.

He doesn't notice, this time, when the bell above the door rings, not until Natasha says "welcome to Bloomerangs!". Even then, Sam doesn't look up from the bouquet he's working on.

"Here you are, Ma'am." Sam says after a moment, standing up and handing the customer who had been waiting her bouquet. Said customer smiles and thanks Sam before ushering out.

"And here you are." The familiar voice makes Sam jump, turning to face the sound, where Bucky was holding out a single red rose, a twinkle in his eyes.

"How cliché." Sam comments, but he takes the flower with a smile. "But...cute." He adds after a second or two.

"Everything about me is." Bucky shoots back with a cheeky smile.

"Now, I wouldn't go that far." Sam replies, but a grin is forming on his lips.

"Aw, my feelings." Bucky says with a fake pout, "And just after I give you flowers."

"It's a single flower." Sam points out, "And it came from my store."

"Whatever, not the point. I think you should make it up to me." Bucky declares with a smirk.

"Oh? Should I?" Sam asks, deciding to play along, "And however should I do that?" 

"Well, you could always... I don't know, go on a date with me." Bucky suggests, and Sam laughs genuinely.

"Alright." Sam agrees. Bucky immediately brightens up and it makes Sam feel warm again. "Tomorrow work for you?" 

"Absolutely." Bucky says, "I don't work, so..."

"Neither do I. How about you meet me at the coffee shop a few shops left of here?"

"Odinson's?" 

"Mhmm." Sam replies, setting the rose down gently, "Is that okay?"

"That's great. I go there often, actually. I know a guy who works there, and their coffee is really good." Bucky rambles for a moment, before cutting himself off suddenly.

Sam's got a look of fondness on his face when he speaks next. "What time works for you?"

Bucky shrugs vaguely and Sam raises an eyebrow.

"For someone who's been flirting for a week, you don't have much plan, huh?" Sam questions teasingly.

"Didn't think I'd make it this far." Bucky replies with too much ease.

Sam's face falls for a moment, but he brushes past it with a fake cough, "Right. Uh, okay. Y'know what, how about I just give you my number?"

Once Bucky's gone, Natasha is on Sam's ass.

"Finally. Neither of you are very good at this, though. I mean, watching you two try and flirt is draining by itself. It'll be a trainwreck, really." Natasha says and Sam gives her the bird. She smiles. "I'm happy for you though, Sam. I really am."

Sam's face softens, and he smiles at Natasha. "Thanks, Nat."

"Oh, shit, I gotta call and tell Peter, he owes me twenty bucks, the little shit."

· · ─────── ·𖥸· ─────── · ·

Sundays, the shop was closed. Sundays, Sam spends the day at his apartment, watching TV lazily. Sometimes his friends drop by and they chat for a while.

Not today, of course. Today, Sam Wilson had a date.

He wasn't necessarily stressing. Except he absolutely was and had ended up calling Natasha because of it.

"Wear that shirt Bruce gave you for Christmas last year." Natasha says, "It compliment your eyes nicely and shows off your arms. Wear some jeans, and make sure they're clean, please."

"I'm not Clint." Sam replies with an eyeroll.

"Hmm." Natasha says, "Oh, use that cologne Tony gave you. That's nice." She adds.

"Shoulda got flowers." Sam mumbles.

"Nah, you'll be fine." Natasha assures, and Sam can practically hear her smirk, "Gotts get going, Wilson, Sharon's here."

"Mm. You better show up to work tomorrow." Sam says teasingly.

"Fuck off." Natasha says.

"Love you too." Sam replies, just as Nat hangs up. 

Another twenty minutes later, Sam's stood outside the coffee shop, leaning against the window and waiting for Bucky.

He's nervous. He probably shouldn't be, Bucky was so excited before. 

Sam rocked back and forth on his heels, when a familiar voice called his name.

"Sam, Sam, hey!" Bucky called, and Sam turned to face him with a wide smile and- huh.

Bucky was wearing a lot of black, as per normal. A leather jacket covered his grey-ish shirt, and gloves covered his hands.

And he had a large bouquet of flowers in his hand.

"So, um, I kinda got Natasha to help me out with this." Bucky held out the bouquet, "It's- um- sunflowers, forget-me-nots, lavender roses, peonies, red roses, and white carnations." Bucky rubbed the back of his neck in an out of character, nervous manner. "Only I replaced the yellow carnations, cause, you know..."

Sam took the bouquet, examined it, face blank.

"Do you not like them? I can- I can take them back if you don't like them." Bucky says,, pushing a strand of hair behind his ear. "I just thought-"

"Man, shut the hell up." Sam interrupts, before bringing Bucky's lips to his.


End file.
